James of Arcadia
"...We are the rulers of the New World. Yes, there are nations crawling their way out of the ashes in the north. In the west. In the east. But here in the south, we believe - no, we know - that we are the harbingers of this New World! We are the knights of the sky, the ghosts in the cities, and the rats in the mud. We are the wanderers. The storytellers. The couriers. The messengers. We are the harbingers of the New World! We...are the '''walking dead'!" '' - James to his group after the founding of Arcadia James Edwards is the protagonist of the New World[[The 'New Age' Extension: New World Chronicles| Chronicles]] series and the protagonist of Chronicles Season 3: 'The Pilgrimage' ''of The 'New Age' ExtensionThe 'New Age' ExtensionThe Walking Dead by EDStudios. Born after the outbreak, James was taken from his parents and raised by gipsies. Constantly on the move, he found it difficult to grow close to others and was forced through the clan's gruelling trials, training him into a skilled warrior with a mastery of martial arts that few have ever been able to rival. Once he reached of age, he was removed from the clan and set about on his Path. In the process, he came across a struggling group in the south and, with his combat skills, brought down the Sunshine Empire and established a new city, Arcadia, a utopia in the otherwise hostile state of Florida. It was recently revealed in the [[The 'New Age' Extension|'New Age''' Extension]] that the Pilgrim's real name is James Edwards, and is the illegitimate son of Harry Edwards by Holly Parker. He was given to a band of travellers as his parents were unable to sufficiently take care of him after the successful sabotage of Greencole. Overview One of the most skilled and capable warriors the New World has ever seen, James is a self-trained swordsman and martial artist. Personality James is a secretive and restless warrior who has a soft side he does not like to expose to others. Most of the time, he can be apathetic, cynical, and threatening. Despite his outwardly cold nature, James notes that behind his exterior hides a fiercely loyal friend, and a man of good humour and as someone not indifferent to suffering. He is also very protective of and loyal to his friends and companions and is willing to go to great lengths for those who matter to him. He can be kind-hearted and caring to the people he loves. James is also shown to be extremely adept at allaying intense, and at times bleak, situations and as a man who would much sooner have everyone return home than draw their swords. His experience in the world makes him a world-weary man, often expressing disdain and circuitous insults to those he considers cruel and foolish. James has, admittedly, a weakness for red-headed women. Post-Apocalypse Season 8 At some point before the sabotage of Greencole, Holly reveals she has fallen pregnant with Edwards' child. Edwards is elated, but his happiness is ruined the next day when it is revealed that the crops have been killed. Chronicles Season 3: 'The Pilgrim' Episode 1: 'Journey to Nowhere' Episode 2: 'New World Wrath' Episode 3: 'Time Stands Still' Season 9 * Many years before Chronicles Season 3: 'The Pilgrim' 11 months after the sabotage of Greencole, Holly is no longer pregnant but there is no sign of their child. The relationship between them is strained, indicating that their child may have died. [[The 'New Age' Extension|The New Age Extension]]: Season 5 New World Chronicles: Season 1 Killed Victims * Numerous counts of zombies and unnamed people Relationships Laura "There is no shame in dying for nothing. Sometimes I think that is best," Harry Edwards "To my first born, James, I leave my sword, the blade of the Teller. May you wield it right and strong, and may it protect you from an early grave. I know I was not there...maybe this way a part of me will always be by your side," '-- Edwards' letter in his will leaving the Teller's Blade to James' James never knew his real father, Harry Edwards, although he heard plenty of stories about him and was aware his father had searched for him. By the time he located Veteran Ranch, his father had already died. However, he discovered - thanks to Drew Stanton - that his father had left him his sword. After leaving Veteran Ranch, James ventures to the ruins of an old house in Upswitch and finds his father's true resting place, having a moment of silence and sharing a few words before venturing out to find his mother's grave. Holly Parker "Hey Mom. Looking cosy...took me a while to find you, but here I am. Here, have a drink...I've been reading dad's memoir. He's written about you a lot here. He really did love you, by the looks of it. Thought about you a lot, too...sounds like a really missed you. I do, to, I guess..." '' '-- James speaks to his mother's grave'' In the Season 9 premiere '''''Before the Storm, Holly is visibly upset and devastated about the absence of her child but refuses to speak of it to her fellow group members, even Edwards. Much like his father, James never knew his mother and knows very little about her, excluding the little information he received from Drew Stanton. However, in Edwards' letter to Hope about James it is conveyed that Holly was devastated and heartbroken when she was faced with no other choice than to give away her child. After many years of searching, James finally found his mother's grave thanks to a copy of his father's memoirs, finally giving him closure before his journey back south. Drew Stanton "What was my father like? I mean, I've heard stories about him...the "Veteran of Pain and Suffering". I've heard people call him a hero. A legend, even. But tell me...what was he '''really '''like?" '' '-- James asks Drew about his father's nature''' Although James and Drew Stanton have only had limited interaction, James clearly knew about Drew's relationship with his father, Edwards, and therefore saw him as family. He inquired to Drew about what his mother and father were really like, his father especially. Drew was happy to give James as much information as he could. In addition, Drew gave him Edwards' will letter leaving him his sword. Quotes * "I'd stay, but I got a long road ahead of me," Trivia * James' was revealed to be James Edwards, the illegitimate son of Edwards and Holly, in the New Age Extension. ** He is named after James Cottingham, as Holly was initially unaware of James's identity as the Bandit King. * Much like his father, James has a large number of physical scars. ** He has a long scar alongside the left side of his head * He is the current wielder of the Teller's Blade, having inherited it from his father's will. * James has been shown several times to have "predicting vision", enabling him to read his opponents' body language and predict their next move, making him an almost unbeatable opponent. Category:Characters Category:Protagonists